Weekly Topic Inspiration: My Life after Anti-Rabies Injection

Disclaimer of sort:

This was long overdue since I was bitten by a dog of our barangay captain , who happens to be my cousin.It happened last February 13, 2012, the night when I went to his house as I was completing the answers on CBMS questionnaire, including the making of barrio map as required by this survey for the 4P (Pamilyang Pilipino Pantawid Pangkabuhayan) program. The dog was slaughtered after incurring series of victims in our barrio.

A year later, I began experiencing erratic heartbeat, thirst for water and sensitivity to light and the numbness on my spinal column and back neck-a clear indication that I was infected by rabies from that dog.So, my brother Fernando immediately helped me sought the necessary medication.

A rabies-free life

My life after undergoing anti-rabies vaccine treatment at San Lazaro Hospital here in Manila, Philippines has been a sort of 'celebration of life.'

The resident doctors and nurses usually told the throng of patients for dog/cat bites that lined-up daily (from Mondays thru Fridays) to listen to what they're going to advise. Each patient was given a blotter page, where the bite mark will be identified, whether it's on your arm, body or legs and other parts of the body.

Each vial for the first three-set of anti-rabies costs less than Php1,000.00 (Philippine peso) or about $20.00 (US dollar) and two patients will divide each 5 ml. of anti rabies as recommended by the administering doctor. Unlike in private entities where the cost will double or triple that an ordinary Filipino can never afford.

In my case, my doctor inquired the history of the bite and if the dog is still living. I replied that I incurred the dog bite on February 13, 2011. She was surprised as to why I'm only undergoing the treatment. I explained that my cousin did a first aid on the bite.

Her verdict was that I should undergo a regular treatment plus the booster (2 ampules) even though it is expensive. It will ensure that the effects of the dog bite, like hydrophobia (afraid of water) and light will be eradicated in my system.

My first injection on the 2nd week of August and the next two weeks were the second and third dosage in order to complete the typical anti-rabies injection treatment. My doctor assured me that my life will be prolonged for the next three years. (What?). The booster is the last of the crucial medication as it will be splitted into two injections (again!) (sighs!).

Come September, before I go on board ship I had to undergo such final procedure in order to ensure a lifetime security if ever I will be bitten by an animal again.

Rabies Factfile: (Photo Credit: http://www.hindu.com/)

Anti-Rabies Vacine

The effects of anti-rabies medication

I had a slight fever, felt drowsy and itchy. The allergic reaction took place hours after the first injection. The nurse who performed the procedure inject a little on my upper right arm for the allergic reaction and at the upper left arm, the treatment.

My arms ached, as if I've been into a bout or did a muscle-building routine.

The second injection gave me a more drowsy effect and I craved for drinking water more. The doctor said that the induced rabies at cold state helps my immune system to develop more antibodies against rabies.

Treatment against rabies is a first-come-first-serve basis here at San Lazaro, since this is the only government medical institution that administer such procedure at a very low price. Since, it is funded by the assigned local legislators via their medical fund allocation, their affected constituents will be required to get a formal writing or certificate of recommendation, so that, the only payment a patient will give is for the syringe to be used.

More and more cases of dog and cat bites and scratches are being treated at San Lazaro Hospital. It ranges from children being bitten by their pets (dogs or cats), a household help being ravaged by a pit bull (dog), an man bitten by his dog when he accidentally stepped on its tail and a lot more.

I still love dogs and cats

I still maintain my fondness with the dogs and cats that also welcome me in their 'animalistic upbringing'.

Other strayed cats who used to sleep ad chase rats at the nooks and crannies of the compound are now fond of my sight and let me touch their back and tap their heads.

And I'm missing my dog, Brownie and cats in the province.

I hope my mom and sister are faithfully feeding and taking care of them, too!

Even with rabies-the virus, this world will never be beautiful without cats and dogs.

Do you agree?

Leave your messages, please. :)

Rabies Indicators

Incubation of rabies virus vary from each person that got bitten by a dog or cat. It can be seven days ( a week) , seven months, seven years or more.

A grandmother who was confined at San Lazaro Hospital was said to be bitten by a dog when she was still a teenager. The usual first aid was done. She married and have grandchildren. But at her age of 80, the virus attacked her leading to her death inside the said medical institution.

As for me, I'm still grateful by the warning of my brother. That I should still undergo the anti-rabies treatment for goodness sake.

There are indicators why medical people don't want to put rabid dogs and cats, or even other animals such as goats, cows, carabaos or pigs to death.

Once your pet scratched or did bite you, symptoms of having rabies may fall into the following:

Observe for 2 weeks or more if a dog will also get sick, even if it is already administered will anti-rabies vaccine.

Stray dogs are more dangerous (those who are salivating and running without prompt direction) but doctors warned that never be lenient of the fact that it is still rabies even your pets are already treated prior to the biting incident.

If the dog is afraid of light or water, then that's the indication that the rabies virus is in its system.

If your cat is already showing aggressive mood unlike its normal playful state, then the virus is already in its body.

Note:I instilled my experiences of that dog bite on another hub. I also included my observations at the premises of San Lazaro Hospital, the only public hospital (LGU services are suddenly not available in my area here in Parañaque City, Philippines).

Me, having Anti-Rabies shot @ San Lazaro Hospital

Click thumbnail to view full-size

1. Get a hospital card (costing Php 7.00) and another index card and blotter card for your prognosis as outpatient) (All photos by Travel Man)

2. Lining up at the OPD ward of San LAzaro Hospital.

3.Patients for bites (dogs, cats) lining up at the admittance of OutPatient Department (OPD)

4. Interns conducting a lecture on Rabies and Bites

What???

Have you noticed the kitten asking for an anti-rabies, too?

About Weekly Topic Inspiration

Weekly Topic InspirationSuffering from writer's block? Want to sharpen your Hubbing skills? Take on the Weekly Topic Inspiration challenge! It's fun, social, educational, and a great way to kickstart your online writing.

Comments

No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.

sending

AUTHOR

Ireno Alcala

3 years agofrom Bicol, Philippines

@Bia: Yes, you better get an anti-rabies vaccine shot immediately.

AUTHOR

Ireno Alcala

3 years agofrom Bicol, Philippines

@Dennis Raon: Good for you for having a vaccine shot .

Bia

3 years ago

I was scratched by a cat yesterday. UnfortunatEly, my foot is feeling numb wherein the cat scratched me. It is true that you can have a rabies iN a scratched only. Im gettinG paranoid.

dennis raon

3 years ago

Sir its been 5days since i have bitten but still no effect but to make ill have my vaccine today thank you for this

AUTHOR

Ireno Alcala

4 years agofrom Bicol, Philippines

@kHaeLxD24: The incubation period of rabies from dogs and other stray animals will differ from person-to-person's immunity.

Like what I've experienced, it doesn't attack my brain that easy because I'm a clean-living person and busy as a bee (if you know what I mean).

First, I immediately seek first-aid through my cousin, minutes after I was attacked by the dog, cleaned my wound and let the blood flow from the open wounds,then followed his instruction to indulge in drinking spree which can aggravate its ill-effects.

Even doctors believe that it can attack our body in just a span of 7 days or maybe 7 weeks, 7 months, 7 years if not treated properly.

I still need the last dosage of vaccine in order to seal my safety against the effects of rabies in the body.

Funny, it's still the rabies vaccine(in cold state), the kind of injection which is administer to every patient, that can fight the effects of the toxin in our bodies.

kHaeLxD24

4 years ago

Sir, I am quite confused about the diagnosis of the rabies virus.

I've you had been treated in the early stage or incubation period but other people said that when you have that symptoms there's nothing you can do about it.

And tell me some about it's side effect.

Please clarify and thank you for the information about this Deadly Virus.

AUTHOR

Ireno Alcala

5 years agofrom Bicol, Philippines

@nick071438: Yes, that is true, Sir Nick.

In our barangay alone, the incidence of rabies victim are not recorded or the health officer of our town is not monitoring or even mapping up data or statistics about the incidence for a year. I am personally attesting my findings because, when I reported my experience to the sanitary officer, she didn't immediately summoned me at her office in order to have a blotter on my case of dogbite.

I hope that the Department of Health will issue a memorandum that will pursue health staff of every local government unit monitor and record incidence of dogbite by delegating barangay council to implement such memo.

By this act, a more accurate data will be recorded.

nick071438

5 years agofrom City of Catbalogan, W, Samar, Philippines

By posting these scary figures, let's hope to forewarn would-be patients from this real threat: "80% of all rabies deaths world-wide occur in India , about 30,000 deaths being reported each year. The actual figure is perhaps four to five times higher, as many cases (e.g. those treated by private doctors, nursing homes or hospitals) go unreported".

I am feeling fine now and some of my allergies receded. It's because my immune system is now activated to combat such kind of virus.

nick071438

5 years agofrom City of Catbalogan, W, Samar, Philippines

I read your bout with rabies and I hope you're now free of this deadly disease. All the while I was secured in the thought that human victims bitten by rabid but vaccinated dogs have nothing to worry in contrast with what you've said "we are not safe even if our pets are treated by veterinarians". I dig further. I was wrong. You are right. Here's what I found and considered the truth. "6% of dogs found rabid have a reliable rabies vaccine history". Further, I discovered India among nations has the highest death rate caused by rabies.

AUTHOR

Ireno Alcala

5 years agofrom Bicol, Philippines

@lheelhieroseThere's a possibility of having the virus, even if the dog was injected with anti-rabies. The doctors of OPD, including the nurses of San Lazaro Hospital are making us aware that we are not safe even if our pets are treated by veterinarians.

So, you must act now, before it's too late.

Raquel Raymundo

5 years agofrom Cardona, Rizal ,Philippines

Your story of the grandmother who was attacked by the virus at the age of 80 got me scared. What a very long incubation period ! I was beaten by a dog during my pre-teen years. I do not know if the dog is infected. I am worried that I might have the same fate as hers. hopefully not.

AUTHOR

Ireno Alcala

5 years agofrom Bicol, Philippines

@visionandfocus: Thank you, I'm surviving although, it's really painful he first whole night. As if my body was in a boxing bout and I woke up feeling groggy.

Anyway, I still have to take my last two shots to end up my misery with this virus.

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

This is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)

Google AdSense Host API

This service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

This is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Facebook Login

You can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Maven

This supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)

We may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.

Conversion Tracking Pixels

We may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.

Statistics

Author Google Analytics

This is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)

Comscore

ComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)

Amazon Tracking Pixel

Some articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)